How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards” - GRAINNET

2010 Safety, Health and
Environmental Quality Conference

July 28 & 29, 2010 • Omaha, NE

“How to Properly Address
Engulfment Hazards”

by Wayne Bauer

Director of Safety & Security
at Star of the West Milling Co.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Historical Timeline for Grain Industry

1850-1880 Flathouses or warehouses with 2,000 – 5,000 bu. capacity
were used for storing grain in 100 lb. bags and flour in barrels
1870-1925 Wood-crib type elevators were designed & built for storage
of bulk grain
1899 A single experimental concrete grain tank (20’ dia.) was built for
Peavey Grain Co. in Minneapolis
1908 Butler built first steel bins for government storage
1910 Zeleny Thermometer Co. developed the
thermocouple cable for reading grain temperatures

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Evolution & History of Grain Bins
(We Thank Harmon Towne for Bin History)

• 1908: The federal government contracted with Butler
Manufacturing to manufacture the first corrugated steel grain
bins.

• The first steel bins were small (12’ dia.) and not very tall.
• Between 1955 and 1965, the numbers

& sizes of steel bins exploded on farms.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Original Farm Usage

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Original Farm Usage

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Older Style Bins

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Transformation of Bin Designs

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Transformation of Bin Designs

How does the – (R) Factor and
resultant Convection Currents in the

structures above compare?

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Bin Sizes Keep Increasing

1908 Diameter Sidewall Height Capacity (bu.)
Mid 1960’s 12’ 500
36’ 50’
Today 48 60’ 10,000
75’
60 - 75’ 80’ - 84’ 750,000
90’ 84 - 94’ 1,000,000 - 1,340,000
105’

132 - 156’

During the past 100 years bin sizes
moved from 500 bu. to 1,340,000 bu./bin.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Residual or Non-Reclaim Grain

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Number of Steel Bin Manufacturers

1965-1975 # of Steel Bin Units Shipped per Year
2000-2010 Manufacturers 150,000
2020 (projected)
26 firms approx. 40,000
10-12
~ 5 maximum

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Older Style Bins

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Older Style Bins

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Roof Peak Loads
and Design Strength

• The center peak load capacities have moved from 5 – 10,000
pounds to roof load ratings in excess of 50,000 pounds today.

• The peak load capabilities, along with sidewall towers or supports
made it possible to use loading equipment with capacities well
over 20,000 bph.

• We are not pulling grain out of these bins
with 4”-6” augers anymore.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

When Are We Going to Get Our Arms
Around This Problem of Grain Entrapment?

Industry Entrapments (Farm & Off-Farm) Deaths

2010 “Reported” Entrapment Total number of Deaths Off Farm On Farms
2009
2008 ?? ? ?
2007 38 16
2006 34 - est. 6 est. 10
33 - 10 -
20 -
9-

7-

Source: Bill Field, Purdue University

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Deaths / Year Around (Off-Farm)
Facilities as a Result of Grain Entrapment

6.6 / year for 6 years between 2004-2009
3.5 / year for 4 years between 2000-2003

This easily exceeds any number experienced from dust explosions
during the 1960’s and 1970’s
We had 54 fatalities from dust explosions in the
10-year period of 1978-87, for an average of
5.4 deaths per year.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Why Do These Incidents
Keep Happening?

1. We are producing more corn (13+ billion bu.)
2. Holding corn for longer periods (4.5 billion bu. for ethanol)
3. We let the grain spoil or go out of condition
4. Bins are getting larger (up to 1.3 million bu.)
5. Reclaim systems are not adequate for 80’, 105’, or 156’ bins
6. No attention to restraint systems
7. People are not offered “Hands-On” training
8. We are not using progressive discipline

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

What Principles Do We Need
to Stress in Future Training?

1. Develop a Zero Entry Mentality
a. Maintain grain quality
b. Use safer and more efficient reclaim systems

2. If you must enter – do not enter alone
3. Provide actual hands-on training every year for

a. Entrants
b. Attendants
c. Local rescue response team
4. Utilize & post - Entry Permit properly - who is the Rescue Response Team?
5. Lockout & tag unloading equipment before entering
6. Secure the Lifeline properly
a. Establish overhead anchorage point
b. Minimize slack in line and use an unconditional tie-off.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Reclaim Systems & Sweep Augers

Must be safer and more efficient
Must operate effectively without entering bin

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Older/Inadequate Reclaim Systems

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Discharge Sump Holes

12” x 12” What would it cost
144 sq. in. to increase the
size of your
24” x 24” discharge sump
576 sq. in. hole by 4 times?

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Why Do We Ignore the Reclaim Systems?

1. Size of bins keep getting bigger:
- 60’ > 80’ > 105’ > 130’ > 156’ > ?

2. Center roof peak load capacities:
- 5,000 lbs. > 50,000 lbs.

3. Receiving and load-out capacities:
- 4,000 bph > 10,000 bph > 20,000 bph > 40,000 bph > ?

4. Size and spacing of sump discharge holes:
- 12” x 12” every 20 ft.
- Why aren’t they 24” x 24” every 10 ft.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Questions I Hear Frequently

1. How should we get started with a REAL program?
2. What kind of RESCUE equipment should I buy?
3. How much MONEY will it take?
4. How do I form a RESCUE TEAM?

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Where should your money go?
What are the priorities?

1. $80-$150/person – ANNUAL hands-on training
2. $250-$325 – Good Class III Harness with four D-Rings
3. $375 – Bin entry kit
4. $250-$3,900 – Cofferdam
5. $200 – Atmosphere testing equipment for oxygen

at minimum (Real threat vs. perceived threat)
6. $4,000+ – Rescue equipment for

(6) person response team

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Forming New Best
Management Practices /
Consensus Standards & Design
Parameters for New Construction

We need a paradigm shift in our way of thinking.
Following the practices and designs

of the 1970’s will not work in the future.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Best Management Practices

1. Offer employees “hands-on” training every year. (Have they
learned proper usage of equipment?)

2. Do you have classes booked for 2011? (Lock in qualified
instructors and start promoting early)

3. Does this training involve local emergency response teams
and 911?

4. Progressive discipline. What are the
consequences if an employee ignores
the safety procedures?

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Training Videos

Two new videos coming within the next year
from Oklahoma State University and SATRA

- Dr. Carol Jones and Cherokee Strip connection
- Mike Brink with Safety and Technical Rescue Association

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Grain
Entrapment
Prevention –
Industry Binder

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Table of
Contents for
GEP Binder

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Applicable Standards

• Which are required?
• Which are voluntary consensus standards?
• What do they mean?
• OSHA (29 CFR 1910.146 / 29 CFR 1910.272)

• NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) (1983 / 1670 / 1006)
• ANSI (American National Standards Institute) (Z 117.1 – 1989)
• ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials)
• SPRAT (Society of Professional Rope

Access Technicians)

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Consensus Standards vs. OSHA
Compliance Regulations

Quote from: “Confined Space & Structural Rope Rescue”
“Consensus Standards such as the NFPA, ASTM, SPRAT and ANSI are
dedicated to improving the quality of operations and the overall safety
of rescuers and victims in situations that would otherwise prove
extremely hazardous.”
“OSHA regulations are oriented towards performance
rather than specifications. OSHA instead requires
compliance of general rules by employers.”

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Forming & Training with
Local Emergency Response Groups

1. Industry has to work more effectively with local fire departments
2. Have you offered training at your site?
3. Is your local emergency response group competent and

equipped to respond in a timely manner?
4. Do they need 40 hours of rope training?
5. How would you respond if a local farmer is

engulfed in a bin 3 miles from your site?

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Civil Liability and/or Litigation
vs. OSHA Fines

Who are you afraid of?
• OSHA – Law/Regulation – citations and/or fines
• Rescuers – put in harms way
• Victim – lawsuits generated by family
• Person dying in corn bin

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Is an OSHA fine of
$1.6 million helpful?

• “There is a new SHERIFF in town”
• Will OSHA direct some money towards training in grain

incidents?
- (30-50%) of fines assessed
- Susan Harwood grant

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

What Should New Design
Parameters Address

1. Reclaim Systems
a) Size and spacing of discharge sump holes
b) Service tunnels
c) Sweep augers

2. Access Doors
a) Top of bin roofs
b) Side doors

3. Ladders and Work Platforms
4. Restraint Systems

a) Overhead anchorage point
b) Secure and control life-lines

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Top Access Holes

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Top Bin Entry Doors

Sketches furnished by Sioux Steel Company

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Top Entry Doors

Consider moving
doors for rescue
purposes.

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Side Access
Doors

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Side Access
Doors

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Bin Entry Kits

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.

Passing Pulley in a 48’ dia. Tank

How to Properly Address Engulfment Hazards

Presented by Wayne Bauer,
Director of Safety & Security at Star of the West Milling Co.